In a surgical stapler, the staples generally are positioned for firing along a staple stack. This stack is capable of holding a large number of staples, and constantly urges forward the line of staples so that one staple will be in position for stapling. This one staple will generally be urged into a track where it will be guided by a driver from the staple stack to an anvil forming surface. The driver forms the staple around the anvil forming surface. After the staple is formed and released from the anvil, the driver generally will reciprocate to a non-contact position. This allows a subsequent staple to be moved into the staple forming track for stapling. When desired, the driver then urges the staple to the anvil for stapling, as before.
One of the potential drawbacks of this system is that occasionally more than one staple will become lodged in the staple forming track. When this occurs, the driver will cause the track to jam. Both staples or portions thereof are urged toward the anvil forming surface, and the initial staple and subsequent staple become wedged in the staple forming track. When this occurs, there is naturally a significant amount of delay in the use of the stapler. Also, this jamming can result in improper firing of the stapler, or breakage of the driver or other components of the stapler.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device whereby the staple track is kept clear of additional staples during the stapling procedure. That is, it is an object of the present invention to allow one and only one staple into the staple forming track at any one time. Only this arrangement insures no jamming due to an additional staple in the staple forming track.